Fish-filleting machine



y 1930- E. A. GALLISON 1,757 01 FISH FCILLET-ING MAcHINE Filed Jan. 25, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 6, 1930. E. A. GALLlSON 5 FISH FILLETING MACHINE Filed Jan. 25, 1928 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 y 6QT93OQ E. A. GALLISON 1,757,013

I I FISH FILLETING MACHINE I I Filed Jan. 25, 1928 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 mos/ZZZ y 3 E. A. GAL .LISON 1,757,013

FISH FILLETING MACHINE Filed Jan. 25, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 fave/Z757 JQZWZe Z d May 6, 1930. v A E. A. GALLISON 1,757,013

FIS'H FILLETING MACHINE Filed Jan. 25,- 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 May 6, 1930. V

E. A. GALLISON FISH FILLETING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed Jan. 25, 1928 Wr/ze 5' of each spring receives-a suitable plug 60 weight of the fish will tend to swing the guide member downwardly an amount substantially corresponding to the size. of the fish, whereby the latter is substantially centered vertically in relation to the first pair of feed rolls.

The inner end of the troughmember 18 is sharplytapered as designated by numeral 22 in order to fit closely about the rolls. As thefish emerges from the'rear end of the front guide it is seized between opposed feed rolls 30. These rollsare mountedupon the upper squared ends 31. and 32ofa pair of substantially Ve tical shafts'33 and 34 re spectively. -These shafts'gare,journalled in suitable bearings infthe'main frame of the machine and areprovided with worm wheels 35 and 36 respectively which mesh with worms 37 and- 38 ona shaft '39. The worm wheels 37 and 38 are of opposite pitch so that when the shaft 39 is rotated the shafts 33 and 34' turn in opposite directions. The

shaft39 carries a wormwheel 40 which meshes with a worm on a longitudinally extended shaft 41, the latter preferably being pro-- vided with a bevelledsgear 42 meshed with a gear 43 and ona shaft '45, carrying a hand wheel 46 by means of which'theshaft 41 may be turned. The shaft 41 also carries a sprocket wheel 47 driven bymeans of a chain 48 passing around asprooket wheel 49 which 7 receivesits motion through'suitable connections from theshaft 5. V The sprocket wheel 47 is carried by a sleeve 46 loose on the shaft" 41, such sleeve having clutch :elements ;en-, gageab-le with a shiftable .clutch member splined to theshaft shiftably'movable into and out of engagement with the clutch elements on the sleeve 46 by means of a handle I 49. Vertical shafts 7 8 and 79 carry gears thatmesh with a second transverse shaft 80,

? correspondingto shaft 39and being similarly driven by shaft 41through worm'gearing 81'. Referring to Figs. 8 and9,=each feed roll 30'preferably comprises a central sleeve 50 having a square opening fitting over the end 31*of shaft 33. The ends of this sleevereceive end plates 51 which may be integral with the sleeve or secured thereto in any suitable ma'nner. 'Aiplurality of braces 52 extend transversely between thetwo plates 51 being tapped to receive screws 52 as shown in Fig. 9. The periphery of roll 30 carries a plurality of coil springs 53, each of which 7 locking the same inposition and retaining one end of each spring in proper engagement with one of the plates 51.- The opposite end which may be also soldered thereto. This plug preferably is internally threaded to engage a screw 61 passing through a suitable opening in an'end plate 51 whereby the opposite ends of tlie'springs may. be. retained in position; Duetothe-closewinding of the springsthere is little tendency for them to have too much flexibility in a-direction per:

pendicular to-the axes of the roll; However, ifdesired- Inlay-provide resilient reinforcing 7 elements 65f'to support the 1 mid portion of each spring, Each of these resilient elements 'coinprises a piece of wirehaving one end engaging the. mid portion of a plurality of coil springs 53 as" designated by numeral 66 and having an intermediate portion coiled around a reinforcing portion 52 while its opposite end engages .a'face of the central sleeve 50-;thus each spring wire 65 tends to urge the intermediate portion of several: .jsprings53 slightly outward. It is to beunderstood however thatthe vuse,of wires 65is entirely optional and that the rolls will function satisfactorily without the same.

If desired the" operating faces of these feed rolls may be provided with a thin layer 68 of cor- .rugated'rubber or the like in order, to. grip the surface of the fish (Fig, 10). However, it has been found that the springs themselves,

withouta; coveringof any kind, engage the pliabl'effieshof the fish in order to feed the same in a satisfactorymanner and yet do not;

have a sufiiciently. harsh action to injure the flesh of the fish. 3

. As the first fillet is sliced by the blade 14, it is received in. a laterally extending guide chute 61 having a substantially vertical, curved wall 62,.which, as indicated in Fig. 3, s 1 approaches very closely to the right-handsurface of the blade14 and holds the fillet against T15? the adjoining feed roll. The fillet delivered intothe guide chute 61imay be dischargedi l into any suitable receptacle placed beneath thelend of the chute; Preferably the wall 62 carries-asupporting and protecting plate 70 for the blade 14 so that onlythe cutting edge of thi'sknife is exposed in the region of the path of the fish; and accordingly the blade isf prevented from turning or twisting due to 1 accidental catching upon the backboneof the fish which passes close to the same.

Figs.'11, 12 and 13 show in greater detail 7 the guide forthe fish between the first and second rolls; as shown more particularly in Fig. 3, the front portion of these guide members is somewhat unsymmetrical to permit the same fitting close about the fillet guide '62; The'intermediate guide is provided with a suitable supporting bracket 73 which car'- I ries a pair. of transverse shafts 74 and 7 5. These shafts are secured to the upper and lower guide members 76'and 77 respectively which are'tapered'sothat they fit injuxta- 3 position to the second pair of feed rolls; preferab-l'y these guidesfare provided with edge portions which overlap" each othera'ss'hjown "more particularly in Fig. 13; Secured'to one of the transverse shafts, such as the shaft'74,

' is a downwardly inclined link 7 8 which has a slot 7.9 adjoiningiits lower'end. This slot' 79 receives a suitable pin- 80 upon .alink 81 which is fixed to the transverseshaft=75. It is thus evident that'downward movementiof the lower guide member- 77 will swing tb link 81 111 such a manner as to ;sw1ng the link '78 upwardly, thereby'moving the'guide ele meat? 6 upward an amount corresponding to f the downward movemen'tyof the lower guide element l consequently the movement? of a "fish'into the guide element will'result in the equalized spreading apart of 7 these members and a resultant centering of the fish in relation to the second pair of feed rolls. As is the case with the firstguide element; the elements 76 and 77 are provided with point-r ed end portionsclosely to. fit between juxtaposed portions of the second pair of feed frolls (Fig. 3). The intermediate guideeletothe path of the fish whereby the backbone may readily pass t o 'one side of bladel ll and ments and the cutting knives 'are'so arranged that, in effect,the knives are offset in relation to the opposite side of blade .15.

Referring to Fig. maybe seen {that one of the second pair of feed'rollsissimilar in construction to the rollswlescribed above while the opposing roll 29 may: be somewhat smaller in 'CllilIHGlZBI and comprises a wooden core 83 wh ch carries a-sultable'corrug-aued rubber tread "84. ,Theselro'lls are mounted upon the upperends of shafts 78 and 79- respectively, roll 29 1 preferably being dis-g posed adjoining that side of knife 13iwhich will engage the backbone of the fish. The relative difference in the sizes of the second pair of feed rolls results in a slight twisting effect upon the backboneislice, which deflects the tail and assists in guiding the same into proper engagement withthe knife 14/ Thus the second fillet maybe vdelivered to a chute- 89 while the waste remnant comprising the backbone and'fins of thefish passes into chute 90, whence it may'go to any suitablepoint for disposal, The roll'l83fpreferably hasa central body portion 86ofsome harld unyielding material, such, for e ample as wood cov ered with a layer 87 of corrugatedrubbeii i In order to insure a proper cutting edge on the knife blades, suitable sharpening apparatus. is provided at the left hand side ofthe machine. RefcrringtoFigfl, the main frame supports apair of'lever arms91 and 92'disposed respectively at opposite sides ofthe bracket 10-. *These armsproject upwardly and carry brackets 93 and S L-respectively; The

bracket 93'has bearings for a'pair ofsubs'tan-y tially vertical shafts 95 and 96,disp0sed respectively at opposite sidesofthe blade 15.

The shaft 95' carries a grinding Wheel 97 "and the shaft 96 carries a grinding wheel 98, these also carries a second 'pulley which drives a belt 103,- passin around: pulleysjup'o'nshafts 95 and 96? respectively. The shaft 102 ca rri'es a sprocket wheel 104" driven by a chain 105* fromfa sprocketf106'o'n' a shaft which re- ="ce'ives" its mot ion through suitable gearing spectively which are engaged by lnut memion'118'mounted-upon a'shaft adapted to slide endwise andito 'rotate in a bearing carried by the membemoi This shaft 118 isprovided with an actuating rod *1 19' ha'vi ng a handle, 1n'ot- 'showniconveni'ently situated, by means 'of: which the shaft 118 my be 'moved endwheels dieing so disposed as to e th knife blade 15' opposite sides thereof.

vertical; shafts 95 and 96? disposed at "the opposite sides'of the'ibladepl l, and these I shafts carry grinding "wheels 99 and 100 adapted toiengagejthe oppositesides-of the blade 14.

"The bracket94 likewise carries a pai'r of v i The shaft95fcarriesapulley engaged beltlOlfand'this belt alsoengages a pulley T 'carried 'by-theshaft '96..{ This belt passes around asuitable'pulleymot showmmounted r on a shaftf JOQ carried by} a bracket that is supported by frame member 1O: This shaft from" the shaft 5 Springs 108a-nd 109 tend to swing arms 91 and 92'awayfromthe knives. 'Themember 10 carries a bearing for a shaft 110 having screw threaded portions 111 and 11211;-

hers 1'13fand' 114i These members=113 and llarefengaged bystop arms :115iand 116 carried by the members 92 and9l respectiveily,"and thus constitute movable abutments for limiting the movement ofthe members '91'and 92 i-n response tosprings 108 and 109.

The shaft 110 has agear 117 fixed thereto and this gearis adapted to mesh .wlth'a pmwise to cause the pinion'118 to mesh with the gear 117, and to turn such gearthereby rotatf'lIlfI the" shaft 110 and causing the nut mem- I "hers 113-and 1 14 toapproach. or: recede. Such movement of the-nut members'moves the arms 1 91 and92 and thus moves thebrackets 93 and 94: so asto=bring the rotating grinding wheels into operativeengagement withwthe cutter bladesr? Referrin'gto-Fig, 5, a, slightly modified st r ucture is'showncomprising the cutting blades 14: and 15and front and rear feed-rolls 1 backbone slice 7 all drop into the same I chute 123, "from "which theyaredischarged :into a commfon receptacle or from which theymay be selected and separated-byhand.

' Inorderto clean'the'bladesi la-and before etheyiar'e presented to the; grinding wheels, ,wiping devices 5139 and 131 of any suitable construction maybeprovided. Such v wiping devices are not necessary, and may be dispensed with if desired.

f In the operation of a machine of this character, it isto be understood that the fish, preferably after having its head removed, isintroduced tailj -forem0st' into the first; guide memberlS, being directedinsuch a manner that the tail, is seized between the first vpair ofifeed rolls 30.; These feed. rolls, as previously described,'haveasuitable gripping ac-- tion to engage the fishand carry the same past the first cutting knife 14., The springs 53 ha'vesuitable flexibility to permitlthe rolls to engage portionsaof fish having rvarious sizes in an effective manner without vbruising the flesh of the same. .The first filletpasses into chute 61, while the backbone andthe remaining fillet pass into the second guiding means 7 6 .77 which delivers them properly centeredjtothe second pair of feed rolls and 29, where the second filletis severed from the backbone slice and delivered to chute 89,

while the slice including the backbone and the fins passes to chute90.

in its broader aspects theinvention is not lim:

ited to It-hespecific elements, arrangement of,"

parts or proportions'of parts-herein specifically shownzand described; but that the.

broad principle of the invention is capable of embodimentinapparatus of equivalent construction and withinthescope of the appendp 'cdclaim's; I V i Iclaimr L Apparatus of the; class described, com- 1 rising'means for successively removinga J fillet fromeach side of a=fish',' and means for automatically delivering the two: fillets and the median slice at different points.

2; Apparatus of the class described, comprising feed means for advancing a fish along a predetermined path and ,nieans for remov- -ing;a fillet from one siderofthe fish, and a funnel-shaped guide for directing the fishing a fillet from one side of the fish'and a funnel-shaped guide, said guide'comprising separable upper and lower; parts,'a lev'e'r arm connected to each of said parts,im,eans tending-to move said parts towardeach other, and

' hile a'preferred construction -hasherein been described, together with certain j modifications thereof, it is to be understoodthat 1 the rest ofthefishQ;

meansconstraining'said lever arms to move through substantially. equal anglesin oppo- I site vdirections when afish is inserted. in the iide.iy -v 7 4. Apparatus ofithe class described, comprising a pair of 'fecd rolls,a band knife adjoining juxtaposed portions of the feed rolls,

anda tapered guide member to receive a part. ,fofa fish and center the same 1n relat on to the rolls.

prising a pair of feed rolls, a band knife adjoining juxtaposed portions of the feed rolls,

vand taperedguide member to receive a part of ajfish andcenter the same in relation to .5. Apparatusmo l'the described, comthe rolls, said'gui'd'e member being-yieldably sizes. 7 1 V mounted to accommodate fish "of various 6(A ea mirror; ainachine er the class described, comprising a plurality of peripherally disposed'coilsprin'gs withtheir long tudinal axes paralleling the axis of the roll,

andresilient means supporting the mid-portions of theperipherally disposed springs.

7. A feed .roll comprising a plurality of peripherally disposed coil springs with theirlongitudinal axes paralleling the-axisof the roll,- said rollincluding end plates, and plugs ,inthe ends of the springs holding them upon said endplates- 7'; Y

8. :Apparatus of the class described, 7 cornprising apair of bandknives to cut opposite 'Lfillets from -a fish', feedrolls adjoiningea'ch knife and', guidingrmeans between the rolls,

vthe above-named partsbeingso arrangedthat ;one, knifeis oifsetjn relation totl'ie-other whereby the backbonerpassesat oppositejsides f I of successive knivesL; 7

-9. Apparatuslofgtheclassdescribed, com- I fillets from a fish, feed rolls adjoining each, knife andguiding means between the rolls, Y oneo f the second pair of rollsbeingcof smaller diameter than the opposed roll to twistthe rising a vpairof band knives, to cut opposite tail portion away fromthe adjoining knife.

. 10. Apparatus of the class described, comprising ajpair band knives to cut opposite fillets from .a "fish," feed rolls adjoining each knife and, guiding means between the rolls,

one of. the second pair of rolls being of smaller 7 diameter than the opposed roll to twist the tail portion away from the adjoining knife, I

said smaller roll being formed of comparatively rigid material and a layer of rubber surrounding said roll.

the above-namedparts being so arranged that: one knife is offset inirelation to the other wherebythe backbonepassesat opposite sides of each knife, and acurvedguide wall to divertcthe first-severed, fillet from the path of Y 12o 11. Apparatus of the class described-comprising a pair of hand knives to cut opposite fillets from a fish, feed rolls adjoining each knife and guiding .means between the rolls,

12. A feed rollfor a machine of the class V 7 described, comprising a rotatable support, and a plurality of'peripherally. disposed elongate resilient elements carried thereby, said elements having their end portions secured to'the support. j V V v 13. A feed roll for a machine of the class described, comprising a rotatable support, and a plurality of peripherally disposed coil 10 springs carried by said support, said springs having their longitudinal axes paralleling the axisof the roll. I, Q, 14. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with feeding mechanism, off means providing a dilatable and constrictable passage for directing objects thereto, and means responsive to the weight oftheobjects for adjusting the size of the passage. 7

15. In an apparatusof the class described,

I the combination with feeding mechanism, of

means providing a dilatable and constrictable passagefor directing objects thereto, means tending torestrict the passage, and means responsive to the weight of objects for dilating a the passage. I V i 7 16. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with feeding mechanism, of complementary members shaped to provide a. convergent passage for directing objects to the feeding mechanism, means providing for the adjustment of the size of the passage, and means responsive to the weight of objects passing therethrough for effecting the adj ustment of the size of the passage. 17. In anapparatus of the class described,

thecombination of means for advancing fish through a given path, means efiective during the advance of the fish through the path for cutting and removing a fillet therefrom, and 40 means effective thereafter and during the continued advance ofthe fish for separatingthe other fillet and the median slice.

18. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of means foradvancing fish in a given path, cutters disposed at points I spaced longitudinally of the path, feeding mechanism cooperating with one cutter for 7 cutting a fillet from the fish, means'between the cutters for removing the cut fillet, and

'50 means cooperating with the other cutter for cutting another fillet. t

j 19. In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination of means providing a path for the translation of fish therethrough, cut- 5 ters disposed at longitudinally spaced points in the path, feeding rolls cooperating with one cutter for cutting a fillet from the fish, means between the cutters-for removing the cut fillet from the path, and feeding rolls co- I operating with the other cutter for cutting another fillet.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 23rd day of January, 1928.

e5 ERNEST A. GALLISON. 

